Well i'm certainly no expert, BUT I was told last week (when I booked our thomson cruise) that the minimum age to book a cabin is 18......so I would guess 18 is fine!

My daughter ,who knows Thomson's ships inside out, tells me that she and her friends want to go away when they are 18 on a Thomson cruise sans parents Now, would they be allowed to book a cruise and travel independantly at this age?

SO they can

Go to UNI.
get married.
Have kids.
Drive cars.
Fly planes ( that fly, not fly in, so your pilot on your hols could be 18).
Join the Army.
Vote.
Be a MP.
Be a policeman.
Work for all the companies that supply the holidays.(common gap(18) year job, holiday rep)
...................

But go on a holiday without some one older is some kind of problem.

Why would you think this? When is old enough to travel independantly?

A significant number of people working on the ships will be 18ish.

I doubt there will be any restrictions due to their age but Thomson's may have a policy around single-sex groups. It's worth checking that if it applies in your case.

Thanks for your replies I will investigate further.
Windjammer...are you sure that there's not something else you would like to add to highlight my ignorance?

hi hils, i would go to thompson directly, they will give you a more sensible answer..

Maybe I should clarify my reply a little...
We are travelling, mum dad and a 14 year old son. he does not like sharing a room with us on holdays these days, and given that the cabins will be cramped in any case, we tried to book a single cabin for him, opposite our double outside. i was told by the booking agent that thomson will not book a cabin without someone of at least 18 as a passenger, so we were unable to book son in his own cabin.
LOL is this any clearer??????

I would try calling again- that does not sound correct to me.
If it is, then simply book yourself and your son in one cabin, and put your wife in a single cabin opposite.
Then- just trade rooms and sleep where you want.

LOL That is exactly how we have played it! Although Thomson wont accept a cabin booking for anyone less than 18, the agent advised me to do exactly what you suggested, as the ship dont care who sleeps where!!!

Hee Hee.I was going to suggest that